John William “Bill” Cole
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
Party: Republican
Residence: Birmingham
Political experience: Elected to Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2018; appointed to Jefferson County Circuit Court in 2006, won election later in 2006; ran for court in 2012; appointed to another circuit court judgeship in 2013, won election in 2014.
Professional experience: Incumbent appellate judge; circuit judge, 2006-2012 and 2013-2018; private practice, during which he served as a special circuit court judge, a special prosecutor and a municipal court judge, 1992-2005; represented the Alabama Circuit Judges’ Association on the Alabama Victim Notification Task Force.
Civic experience: Served on the board of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham; group leader of Reading is Fundamental; coached baseball and soccer for 10 years.
Education: Juris doctor, University of Alabama School of Law, 1992; bachelor’s in English and political science, Vanderbilt University, 1989.
Campaign: Instagram.